Ranking The 10 Best Female UFC Fighters Of 2024, Including Weili Zhang, Kayla Harrison

MMA: UFC 300-Weigh Ins — Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Since they arrived on the big stage of the UFC, the women’s divisions have shined bright. And that was no different over the past 12 months. On multiple nights, it was the ladies that stole the show inside the Octagon in 2024. And a specific few female UFC fighters stood out above the rest over the last year. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the 10 best female UFC fighters of 2024

10. Iasmin Lucindo

MMA: UFC 307 - Rodriguez vs Lucindo — Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Lucino earned a 2-0 mark in 2024 with two big wins over top contenders. She knocked off Karolina Kowalkiewicz in May via decision and scored her fourth straight win in October with another decision, this time over Marina Rodriguez to get to 16-5 overall.

9. Norma Dumont

MMA: Riyadh Season Noche UFC 306 - Aldana vs Dumont — Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

The 34-year-old Dumont stepped into the UFC’s Octagon twice in 2024, and both times, she had her hand raised. In April, making a return to the bantamweight division, Dumont topped former UFC champion Germaine de Randamie. She followed that up with a decision vs. Irene Aldana, a former title challenger.

8. Maycee Barber

Barber could be the next face of the UFC women’s divisions. She has won six straight since a 2021 loss to Alexa Grasso. That includes her March decision win against Katlyn Cerminara pushed her career record to 14-2 overall.

7. Natalia Silva

MMA: UFC 292 - Lee vs Silva — Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

A rising star, Silva has won all six of her UFC fights, with two coming over the past 12 months. She kicked off her year with a decision vs. Viviane Araujo. In September, Silva scored the biggest win of her career, topping former UFC champion Jessica Andrade for her 12th straight win.

6. Virna Jandiroba

ufc — Credit: Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images

Nothing like staying active to show where you stand in the division. Jandiroba did just that in 2024. She earned a March decision over Loopy Godinez and came back in July to earn “Performance of the Night” with her second-round submission of Amanda Lemos. She has won four straight and is 21-3 overall.

5. Manon Fiorot

MMA: UFC Fight Night - Atlantic City - Blanchfield vs Fiorot — Credit: Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images

The 34-year-old from Nice, France had a perfect 2024, just like she did in 2023, ’22, ’21, ’20, and ’19. Fiorot stretched her current win streak to 12 with a decision over Erin Blanchfield in a five-round main event from Atlantic City, New Jersey.

4. Kayla Harrison

ufc — Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Oh, what a year it was for the Olympic gold medalist. While many wondered if Harrison could cut it in the “big leagues,” the veteran simply dominated. She choked out former champion Holly Holm in April and returned in October, scoring a decision over Ketlen Vieira to improve to 18-1 overall.

3. Julianna Pena

MMA: UFC 307 - Pennington vs Pena — Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

The 35-year-old stepped inside the Octagon for the first time since summer 2022 this past October. At UFC 307, Pena won the UFC women’s bantamweight title for a second time with a split decision over Raquel Pennington. The win marked her first since 2021 and 12th overall.

2. Valentina Shevchenko

ufc — Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

The past year was all about reclaiming her throne atop the UFC women’s flyweight division. And that is what Shevchenko did. In September, she won back the title with a decision victory over Alexa Grasso after the two had battled to a draw in 2023.

1. Weili Zhang

The 34-year-old continues to dominate the strawweight division. She has held the UFC championship since a 2022 win over Carla Esparza. After securing a title defense in 2023, she did the same in April of this year with a win over Yan Xiaonan at the stacked UFC 300 event.